In a Reel for Advil, Dr. Raven Baxter explains how two pain relievers work against period cramps

Dr. Raven Baxter released a science explainer for Advil on Instagram on June 23, 2025. The 54-second Reel covered what causes period cramps and how Advil Dual Action with Acetaminophen works against them.

Baxter filmed it at her studio microphone, among plush microbes and a pink flamingo. She opened on a topic many people avoid. "Let's talk about something most of us deal with, but don't always talk about, period cramps," she said.

Painful periods are common. The U.S. National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus calls painful menstruation "the leading cause of lost time from school and work among women in their teens and 20s."

Baxter explains the role of prostaglandins in period cramps. Image: Raven the Science Maven video

Baxter started with the cause. "The culprit, prostaglandins, those little pain causing chemicals your body releases during your period," she said. MedlinePlus says increased prostaglandin activity is thought to play a role in painful periods. "But here's the good news, Advil treats them at the source," Baxter said.

She then turned to the product. "It's the first FDA approved formula to combine the two most widely used pain fighting ingredients, ibuprofen and acetaminophen," Baxter said. Each caplet holds 125 milligrams of ibuprofen and 250 milligrams of acetaminophen, according to Advil's product page.

Baxter on how the two ingredients work in different ways. Image: Raven the Science Maven video

"That means it fights pain in two ways," she said, holding up two fingers. "Acetaminophen blocks pain signals to the brain and ibuprofen targets the pain caused by inflammation for fast, strong relief."

Advil reached U.S. stores in 1984, the same year the FDA first allowed ibuprofen to be sold without a prescription, according to the brand's Wikipedia history. The FDA approved Advil Dual Action on February 28, 2020. Advil is now owned by Haleon, which was spun off in 2022 from a consumer health venture of GSK and Pfizer. Haleon's other brands include Tums, Centrum and Sensodyne.

Baxter worked in drug discovery at Albany Molecular Research before she turned to public science education. She holds a Ph.D. in curriculum, instruction and the science of learning from the University at Buffalo.

More on the product is on Advil's Dual Action page.

Paid partnership with Advil.